Advice on Teeth Whitening Discussion Thread

Teethwhiteninguk

Thanks for that.

Where are the details of the prosecutions please.

Smile Style referred to a treatment plan on their site, so that makes sense.

brook2jack

Teethwhiteninguk wrote: »

I wrote to the Department of Health for clarification, they referred me to the GDC.

I have written to the EU, they confirmed that non-dentists can deliver teeth whitening.

I have contacted a barrister specialising in GDC matters and it was confirmed that it was not illegal providing the treatment was carried our in a particular manner.

Another lawyer confirmed this too.

I spoke to Trading Standards and they confirmed that providing certain criteria are met it is not illegal.

The GDC representative confirmed (see above) their role is to protect the public from harm. You cannot be harmed by a producer that is safe to purchase over the counter.

I do not fall into any of the groups you mention above. I am interested in consumer protection, the law, fair play and not opinions.

I look forward to receiving a further update from my MEP.

fascinating but doesn't negate the facts that prosecution's have taken place for illegal practice of dentistry, more are in the pipeline, independent organisations such as the NHS , WHICH http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/se...4.mainsection8 , and many others recognise that it is illegal for non dentists to carry out tooth whitening and as a result of the many people who have suffered irreversible damage the tv programme fake Britain is filming a piece as we speak about illegal tooth whitening

Even beautician s organisations such as habia and babtac will not insure non dentists to whiten teeth and recognise it is illegal for non dentists to whiten teeth
From babtac a few years ago...
"

We did one hell of a lot of research to establish exactly what the situation actually was; nobody really wanted to talk about it, and it took us (me personally, actually) a lot of time. As a result of our work several insurers now refuse cover.

We told all our members OVER A YEAR AGO through our magazine, and on our website (both in the public and members' area) that teeth whitening was illegal.

We put a 3 page feature in Professional Beauty in February saying the same thing. Strange that most magazines (who take ads from teeth whitening companies) didn't run with it...

We accept NO advertising from teeth whitening companies in our magazine, Vitality - but we can't stop the other mags from taking it. We will NOT have a teeth whitening company on our exhibitions, seminars and events but, again, we can't stop others from doing so.

We have already helped quite a few members and even non-members with legal fights (if you're having trouble contact me).

We have helped quite a few journalists (print and broadcast) put their news and editorial features together.

I have hung around as many Forums as I can to help therapists and to spread the truth when it's needed!

What else could we do?

Regards

PHILIP SWINFORD
Marketing Services Manager
BABTAC"

Teethwhiteninguk

Thanks Phillip

You can understand why there is so much confusion. A report written by BATAC in the past concluded that it was legal. I am not in the beauty industry so I have not found your other reports.

My inconclusive research thus far is, that it depends!

The products must be within the legal limits.

No dental advice must be given.

The client ideally self administers.

The people using illegal products, harming people and providing dental advice need to be discouraged.

Toothsmith

Teethwhiteninguk wrote: »

Thanks Phillip

You can understand why there is so much confusion. A report written by BATAC in the past concluded that it was legal. I am not in the beauty industry so I have not found your other reports.

My inconclusive research thus far is, that it depends!

The products must be within the legal limits.

No dental advice must be given.

The client ideally self administers.

The people using illegal products, harming people and providing dental advice need to be discouraged.

I take it that you are the person who posted as 'consumeradvice' for a couple of posts?

You still haven't declared exactly what your connection to this industry is.

brook2jack

The posting is identical to ones put out by one person who runs a recently formed organisation that wants illegal whiteners to join to "self regulate"' , however if they self regulated according to the law then then as nothing other than materials containing or producing hydrogen peroxide above 0.1% will whiten teeth and its illegal to even sell this, let alone use it unless you're a dentist the only legal self regulation is not to do it.

Teethwhiteninguk

I have nothing to do with any association. I do advise consumers and have simply taken a personal interest in this subject as it is so contentious and quite interesting.

I have also raised serious issues and concerns about other political matters on more friendly forums, with my MP and the various government departments concerned.

The most interesting part about this subject is that little or nothing has been done for over 6 years by any authority. No wonder the teeth whitening businesses are angry and the consumer is confused. I cannot think of any other industry where this has ever happened before.

The USA, Australia and France have been through similar debates and arguments and they have been resolved eventually. Non-dentist tooth whitening continued.

As an outsider, it is my view some of the dental professionals are letting themselves down with their behaviour. I am quite shocked by what I have read. I have said before, that the non-dental medical professionals do not behave the same way about other very invasive and potentially dangerous beauty treatments performed on the body on forums, facebook, blogs etc.., which is most interesting.

Non-peroxide teeth whitening products have improved considerably from chlorine dioxide and do work very well from my own experience as well as others. There are good and not so good beauty treatments in the market place.

I note a number of RGN nurses have joined the non-peroxide tooth whitening market. No doubt someone here or elsewhere will come up with a derogatory comment about them too.

Toothsmith

Teethwhiteninguk wrote: »

I note a number of RGN nurses have joined the non-peroxide tooth whitening market. No doubt someone here or elsewhere will come up with a derogatory comment about them too.

Why should nurses know any more than beauticians about teeth & tooth whitening?

Drs know next to nothing about the mouth - nurses aren't going to know any more!

In dentistry - DENTAL nurses need to go on courses and gain extra (proper) qualifications in order to paint fluoride varnish on kids teeth (Basically super-strength toothpaste!)

Why should RGN nurses be allowed to apply much stronger chemicals to people's teeth with a Mickey Mouse training course?

I think part of the anger within the dental profession comes from the disparity in regulations.

Dental patients are protected by a whole raft of cross infection control regulations, waste disposal regulations, A dental teem that is regulated by multiple authorities because that is what has been deemed to be a necessary level of protection.

Because of that, treatments at dental practices are often (but not always) more expensive than the illegals.

It is therefore galling to see on the websites of illegal whiteners, dentists being accused of 'rip off prices'.

If it is not safe to go to a dentist and have tooth whitening without all this protection, then why IS it safe to go to someone who has been 'trained' by a fake or struck-off dentist for probably less than 24 hrs training in total? (That's if they've had any training)

No regulator, no criminal checks, no half-decent cross infection control protocols, no insurance that would prove valid should something bad happen, and patients being harmed by inappropriate chemicals (Let's not forget that Sodium Perborate - which is the one the ones not using Chlorine dioxide tend to use - is soon to be banned as well).

Dentists are just as cross that nothing has been done up until now to check the growth of illegal whitening - but now it is, and it's welcomed.

welshdent

I think TS sums things up nicely.

Frankly it drives hell in to me when I see those working illegally accusing us/me of just trying to protect my finances (when it makes a negligible amount to my income) as their best argument as to why we are against it.

The repeated line is "we dont use illegal chemicals" however where have we said that is WHY it is illegal?
What we have repeatedly stated over and over and over but are ignored ... is that they practice dentistry (even if they refuse to acknowledge it) illegally. If they are not on the GDC list, that is what makes it illegal. Simples. A belligerent stubborn refusal to even consider the point does not change it.
If they wish to supply tooth whitening then get qualified as a at the very least a dental nurse with whitening training.

brook2jack

Teethwhiteninguk wrote: »

The USA, Australia and France have been through similar debates and arguments and they have been resolved eventually. Non-dentist tooth whitening continued.


Non-peroxide teeth whitening products have improved considerably from chlorine dioxide and do work very well from my own experience as well as others. There are good and not so good beauty treatments in the market place.

I note a number of RGN nurses have joined the non-peroxide tooth whitening market. No doubt someone here or elsewhere will come up with a derogatory comment about them too.

I'm afraid you have been poorly informed here. In the USA laws are made in individual states and most have outlawed tooth whitening by anyone other than dentists eg Kentucky http://dentistry.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/AAD2E99D-F32A-4DF7-A52E-23B504290437/0/08Spring.pdf , Oklahoma http://www.smileforlife.com/news/dental-board-shuts-down-tooth-whitening-booth-in-tulsa-8260/ and many other places.
Australia ,likewise there is a huge debate and laws ( march 2013)are about to come into action limiting the use of certain concentrations to dentists only. There is also a campaign to limit whitening to dentists only and Australia has banned the sale of many over the counter kits.

Sodium perborate is the only "non peroxide" treatment that works. It works because it breaks down to hydrogen peroxide. It is also on the EU list to be banned and indeed many products containing perborate used in the mouth such as mouthwash and denture adhesive have already been withdrawn from the European market because of safety conecerns. Borates are associated with , amongst other things, foetal damage caused by exposure in males and females and fertility problems.

Finally who are you going to trust to assess a mouth and person that's healthy enough not be damaged by a chemical strong enough to change the colour of the strongest substance in the body? Who are you going to trust with putting unknown chemicals inside you that can have permanent effects on health? Someone , a nurse, beautician , lorry driver who goes on a course lasting a few hours and gets a certificate that is not nationally regulated or recognised or someone who has studies nothing but oral/facial health for five years ?

Toothsmith

This is an email that a colleague of mine has just posted on a dental web forum.

It was sent to him by a friend of his who is involved in supporting business start ups in Wales

Hiya *****

Thought you might be interested ... one of my colleagues at Centre for Business contacted me yesterday regarding a young lad who was hoping to set up a teeth whitening business. He had taken out a loan of £500 to pay for a one day course with a company who was promoting it as a qualification to setting up such a business. She wanted my opinion on it.

After your text and an inquiry to the GDC, Trading Standards have been brought it to deal with the company who are promoting the training. Hopefully, the lad will be able to get his money back and the company will have to stop trading.

Good eh!

The message is spreading that this IS NOT a business that non-dentists should be considering.